LONDON, Oct. 26 -- Left-wing independent Catherine Connolly is set to become Ireland's next president after her rival conceded defeat in a presidential election Saturday. Vote counting was still underway but ahead of the official result, Heather Humphreys, of the center-right party Fine Gael, told reporters that she wanted "to congratulate Catherine Connolly on becoming the next president of Ireland." "Catherine will be a president for all of us and she will be my president, and I really would like to wish her all the very, very best," she said. Polls have suggested consistent and strong voter support for Connolly, 68, over Humphreys, 64, for president, a largely ceremonial role in Ireland. Connolly, a former barrister and an independent lawmaker since 2016, has been outspoken in criticizing Israel over the war in Gaza. She has also warned against the European Union's growing "militarization" following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ireland has a tradition of military neutrality, but her critics have said she risks alienating the country's allies. The politician has garnered the backing of a range of left-leaning parties, including Sinn Fein, the Labour Party and the Social Democrats. Prime Minister Micheal Martin on Saturday congratulated Connolly on her "very comprehensive election victory," adding "it is clear she will be the next president of Ireland." Martin said he was looking forward to working with the new president as "Ireland continues to play a significant role on the global stage, and as we look forward to hosting the EU presidency in the second half of 2026." Initial and incomplete results show Connolly taking more than 60% of votes. Connolly and Humphreys were the only contenders after Jim Gavin, the candidate for Martin's Fianna Fail party, quit the race three weeks before the election over a long-ago financial dispute. Martin, who heads Ireland's government, had personally backed Gavin as a presidential candidate. Though Gavin had stopped campaigning, his name remained on the ballot paper because of his late withdrawal from the race. The electoral commission said on Saturday that there was a "significantly higher than normal" number of spoiled ballots, and that there will "clearly be a need for deeper and further reflection" about voter dissatisfaction. Simon Harris, the deputy premier, said the spoiled ballots showed "the number of people in Ireland now who are clearly feeling disaffected or disconnected with politics." He said officials will be looking at the possibility of changing the threshold needed to secure a nomination in future presidential elections....